SLCC Magazine Spring 2014 by Salt Lake Community College

SPRING 2014

HAPPENINGS

SLCC Hosts National Leadership Conference In early June 2014 more than 30 female professionals from community colleges throughout the nation will gather in Salt Lake City for the American Association for Women in Community Colleges (AAWCC) LEADERS Institute. SLCC is the three-year host institution for the conference that was created 28 years ago. More than 6,000 female leaders have participated in the training.

Obesity Fight Reaps Rewards SLCC is doing its part to help the community fight childhood obesity — and it’s piling up the awards for its efforts.

Conference workshops include datadriven decision making, conflict management, managing change, persuasion and negotiation techniques and developing a leadership pathway for future advancement. “LEADERS Institute offers an intensive curriculum to help women gain leadership roles in community colleges,” said Alison McFarlane, SLCC’s Vice President of Institutional Advancement and AAWCC’s Vice President for Communications. McFarlane added that she uses the skills she gained “every day to strengthen and support Salt Lake Community College.”

SLCC Turns Out Voters, Wins Contest

In May, its Know Greater Heroes program was awarded $2,500 from SelectHealth, which recognizes groups that encourage healthy behaviors. And in 2012, the program was one of just four in the country that received a $30,000 Next Generation Nutrition grant from Dannon Yogurt.

Through Know Greater Heroes, SLCC’s student athletes, coaches, cheerleaders and the Bruin Bear mascot travel to low-income, Title I elementary schools to teach children how to eat right, be active and avoid drugs and alcohol. The program reaches about 25,000 elementary students and their parents each year. About 1 in 5 elementary-age children in Utah are obese or overweight.

Victory Celebration Turns Into Rescue Party

hey were celebrating their Region 18 tournament championship with a trip to Dierkes Lake in Idaho when several members of the Salt Lake Community College softball team heard a man yelling for help in the water. The man’s legs had cramped while swimming. He was panicking. And he might have drowned were it not for the fast-acting Megan Bradshaw. In addition to playing third base for the

Salt Lake Community College proved it can turn out voters when it won Utah’s Election Campus Cup after registering over 1,300 of the state’s 5,600 student voters for the 2012 general election. Former Lt. Governor Greg Bell presented then

Bruins, Megan is also trained as a lifeguard. “He was okay, he just looked really tired and couldn’t swim anymore,” Bradshaw said in a May blog entry for SLCC’s The Fountain. “I’m very glad that we were there.” SLCC Student Body President Aaron Starks with a trophy at the Taylorsville Redwood Campus. “The dedication and commitment our students demonstrated in getting so many people registered to vote and engage civically is impressive and a testament to how highly they value our political system,” said SLCC Vice President of Government and Community Relations Tim Sheehan.

Small Bridges, Big Ideas Fuel Contest

he crazy-sounding idea of building bridges and then destroying them actually materialized last April when Salt Lake Community College held its second annual bridge breaking competition at its Meadowbrook Campus. The College partnered with the Utah Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering to host students from SLCC, Davis Applied Technology College, BYU and the University of Utah. Gathered in front of industry representatives in the SLCC Composites Lab, the students

built small bridges using composite materials. The bridges were then given load-bearing tests. The winning bridge was able to hold about 10,000 pounds before bowing. “Competitions like this help to educate the public about training and career opportunities in the advanced material and processing industry,” SLCC Composites Program Manager Alan Done said before the competition. “And students have a chance to build their skills and make real design decisions in competition.”

SLCC, USU & UVU: Degree Partners SLCC is expanding access to highquality education through two new programs with local universities:

Conspire with failure. Treat it as part of a recipe to bring about your great comeback.”

SLCC students seeking a bachelor’s degree in business administration no longer have to leave campus. Under a partnership inked between SLCC and Utah State University, they can take USU’s upper division business education courses through an interactive video conferencing system at SLCC’s Taylorsville Redwood Campus. This means they can earn a BA in three years. Non-traditional students can take night, weekend and online classes— another route to a higher degree.

Refugee Helping Poor In 23 Countries

erreck Kayongo has changed the way the world thinks about soap with the nonprofit group he founded in 2009 called the Global Soap Project. In May, Kayongo brought his lifealtering ideas to Salt Lake Community College as its 2013 commencement speaker. “Conspire with failure,” he told SLCC graduates. “Treat it as part of a recipe to bring about your great comeback.” Kayongo’s own story started as a refugee from Africa, where, as a

child, his father taught him how to make soap. It was a skill he thought he’d never use after graduating from college. During his travels in subsequent years, Kayongo noticed – and did something about – the extreme waste of soap in hotels. Now his Global Soap Project has outposts in 23 countries that provide soap to disaster victims, refugees and families living in extreme poverty. Kayongo’s efforts landed him on the 2011 CNN Hero list and garnered him hundreds of speaking engagements around the country.

Another agreement with Utah Valley University allows students who want to join the growing fields of homeland security or emergency management — planning for and responding to natural disasters or terrorist attacks — a chance to earn an associate degree that can be applied to a four-year bachelor’s degree. SLCC’s new associate degree in Homeland Security/Emergency Management will count towards a bachelor’s in Emergency Service Administration at Utah Valley University.

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CONTENTS

SPRING 2014

ON THE COVER

8: Bill Strickland at SLCC 4

14 TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S

Inside Cover: Happenings 3 18

Letter from the President

14 Sione Ferrer

4 Native American Fashion Show

15 Jimmie Breedlove

NPR’s Science Friday

16 New Courses & Events

NPR at the Grand

18 Center for Arts and Media

Golf Tournament

21 President’s Art Show

8 Bill Strickland

22 State of the College

12 McRae Williams

24 Green Building

Back Cover: Growing Greener 24

SLCC BOARD OF TRUSTEES

GAIL MILLER, CHAIR

STANLEY B. PARRISH, VICE CHAIR

SANCHAITA DATTA

SLCC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2014

CLINT W. ENSIGN

ASHOK JOSHI

DAVID W. LANG

PATRICIA RICHARDS

RICHARD R. TRANTER

JESSICA FOWLER, STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT

ANNIE V. SCHWEMMER, ALUMNI PRESIDENT

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

I am excited to present to you SLCC Magazine. It is filled with images and vignettes that only begin to tell the story of the phenomenal things happening at Salt Lake Community College.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES Gail Miller, Chair Stanley B. Parrish, Vice Chair Sanchaita Datta Clint W. Ensign Ashok Joshi, PhD David W. Lang Patricia Richards Richard R. Tranter Jessica Fowler, Student Body President Annie V. Schwemmer, SLCC Alumni Association President SLCC EXECUTIVE CABINET Deneece Huftalin, PhD Interim President Chris Picard, PhD Provost of Academic Affairs Nancy Singer, PhD Interim Vice President of Student Services Dennis R. Klaus Vice President of Business Services Alison McFarlane Vice President of Institutional Advancement Tim Sheehan Vice President of Government and Community Relations The SLCC Magazine is published by the Institutional Marketing and Communications Department of Salt Lake Community College. All rights reserved. No part of the material printed may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by an information storage retrieval system without permission of the publisher. Salt Lake Community College is an equal opportunity institution providing education and employment opportunities without regard to race, color, gender, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, disability, age and/or veteran status. Comments are welcome and should be sent via email to: institutionalmarketing@slcc.edu or via US Post to: SLCC Magazine Salt Lake Community College Institutional Marketing and Communications, MKTG P.O. Box 30808 Salt Lake City, Utah 84130-0808

This past year the College welcomed two new buildings: the state-ofthe-industry Center for Arts and Media at the South City Campus and the Instruction and Administration building at our flagship Taylorsville Redwood Campus. Both buildings boast incredible learning environments to help us better prepare students for the workforce or an education beyond SLCC. The College continues to be a Top 10 national leader in graduating students with associate degrees. While our popularity has grown to over 60,000 students annually, we continue to maintain a small average class size of about 20. This focus on one-on-one attention coupled with our ability to remain nimble and diverse in our course offerings – over 4,000 courses delivered six days a week (seven, if you count online) – makes SLCC a leader in open-access education in Utah. We have a vast, impressive community of students, staff and faculty from which to draw while telling the College’s story. Take some time to browse SLCC Magazine – I hope you’ll be inspired, enlightened and informed. And I hope you’ll share that inspiration with others. Thank you for your continued support of the College. Most Sincerely,

Deneece G. Huftalin, PhD Interim President

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N AT I V E A M E R I C A N FA S H I O N S H O W

Museum Hosts

Native American-Inspired Fashions Ancient history and nouveau fashion mixed at Salt Lake Community College Fashion Institute’s Raw Couture show.

rganizers dubbed the 10th annual show “Raw Couture: from Canvas to Cloth,” using the Utah Museum of Natural History as a fitting backdrop. The show featured Native American-inspired designs that complemented the Utah Museum of Fine Arts exhibition “From Bierstadt to Warhol: American Indians in the West.” “This was a wonderful event that showcased the students’ many talents and the quality of the Fashion Institute’s programming,” said SLCC Fashion Institute Director Mojdeh Sakaki. Surrounded by the museum’s rocklike walls that mirror Utah’s beautiful Wasatch Mountains, an audience of hundreds watched models show off outfits created by 10 student designers. The designers drew inspiration from the rugged West and the people who have lived here for centuries. The entire show was staged and produced by the SLCC fashion production class. “I am so proud of all of the students,” Sakaki said. “They worked tremendously hard in creating their collection, and each one of them is phenomenal and exceptional.” Sakaki also pointed out that proceeds from the event were donated to the Utah Cultural Celebration Center, which is located in West Valley City and is dedicated to promoting the arts and education.

This was a wonderful event that showcased the students’ many talents and the quality of the Fashion Institute’s programming.”

SLCC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2014

I am so proud of all of the students. They worked tremendously hard in creating their collection, and each one of them is phenomenal and exceptional.â&#x20AC;?

N P R AT T H E G R A N D

NPR’s Science Friday Takes Over Grand Theatre

cores of children were among the more than 1,000-plus people who filled the Grand Theatre to capacity April 19 to witness the live broadcast of National Public Radio’s (NPR) show Science Friday, which also drew over 1.4 million radio listeners that day. About 10,000 people tuned into Salt Lake City-based NPR station KUER 90.1, which airs Science Friday. “All of the young people who were there came as a pleasant surprise to us, but after talking to the producer of the show it turns out that NPR Science Friday has a large number of elementary school students who listen to the program,” said SLCC Public Relations Director Joy Tlou. “We’re glad they took the time out of the middle of their day to participate. Their questions were the best part of the show.”

KUER and Salt Lake Community College teamed up to pique the public’s interest in attending the first-of-its-kind event at the Grand Theatre. KUER invested an estimated $60,000 in getting the word out, which included drawing 115,000 people to an online banner ad it ran on its website. Science Friday host Ira Flatow led the broadcast that featured Utah-based science news, like studying Mars from Utah deserts devoid of light pollution and the creation of the James Webb Space Telescope in Magna. During the two-hour broadcast several scientists, authors and professors from around Utah joined Flatow to discuss topics like the elusive

sage grouse and microbes in the Great Salt Lake that sometimes turn the water a pinkish hue. Exposure for SLCC included a social media campaign by the College and NPR on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter before, during and after the event. Before the show Flatow also appeared on KUER’s Radio West, which was heard by an estimated 16,000 listeners. Science Friday commands a vast online audience that averages about 600,000 podcast downloads, which meant even more media exposure for the College. KUER also prominently highlighted SLCC and the Grand Theatre as sponsors of the show.

NPR at the Grand, Round II: With Ari Shapiro

ational Public Radio again invaded the Grand Theatre on October 19 when NPR White House correspondent Ari Shapiro appeared before more than 700 people as part of Salt Lake Community College’s Speakers Bureau series. Shapiro was making several speaking stops before taking a new position as NPR’s London correspondent in January. KUER Radio West host Doug Fabrizio moderated a questionand-answer session with

SLCC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2014

Shapiro, who led NPR’s coverage of Mitt Romney during the 2010 U.S. presidential primary Ari Shapiro and general elections. Shapiro also appears on NPR’s All Things Considered and Morning Edition, in addition to moonlighting as a guest singer for the music group Pink Martini.

“The partnerships with National Public Radio and local affiliate KUER enables us to continue our vital role within the community,” said School of Arts, Communication and Media Interim Dean Richard E. Scott. “These events showcase our wonderful Grand Theatre and the Center for Arts and Media and enable us to communicate to the community the varied and sophisticated programs that SLCC provides to the community.”

Gail Miller Utah Leadership Cup for Student Scholarships Golf Tournament Benefits SLCC Students

tudents were the big winners at Salt Lake Community College’s inaugural Gail Miller Utah Leadership Cup golf tournament, held last September at the Hidden Valley Country Club in Sandy, Utah. All proceeds from the tournament, named after Gail Miller, chair of the Larry Miller Group of Companies Board and the SLCC Board of Trustees, went toward a scholarship program for SLCC students. In all, 120 golfers raised $125,000 for 80 scholarships through donations, entry fees and 32 corporate sponsorships. Miller was joined by Utah Governor Gary R. Herbert, Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams, Congressman Jim Matheson, members of the Utah Legislature, local media celebrities and dozens of other charitable duffers. SLCC student ambassadors

were also on hand to greet and speak with golfers at each hole. The Zion’s Bank team took top honors in the 18-hole tournament that featured a shotgun start with a team scramble format. America First Credit Union and MountainStar Healthcare teams finished second and third respectively. Former SLCC President Dr. Cynthia Bioteau said the event was “… our most successful scholarship fundraiser to date.” The next tournament will be held on Monday, September 15, 2014 www.slcc.edu/foundation/golf

Bill Strickland

“GENIUS”

MACARTHUR BRINGS INSPIRING STORY TO SLCC When Bill Strickland was flunking out of high school in an impoverished section of Pittsburgh, no one could have predicted that he would one day win a MacArthur “genius” award.

trickland told his story to a rapt audience in Salt Lake Community College’s Grand Theatre last November during the two-day grand opening for the new Center for Arts and

Media. Wherever he speaks, his message includes, “Don’t give up on the poor kids” and help those who are less fortunate than you. “As an open-enrollment institution, SLCC accepts anyone seeking a higher education,” said SLCC Public Relations Director Joy Tlou. “Mr. Strickland’s message resonated with our mission to provide access to students who are underrepresented in higher education. Once they are enrolled, we support these students with instructional programs and services that help them become successful and engaged learners.”

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Strickland grew up in what he describes as an inner-city ghetto, losing friends to violence, drugs and jail. But as a teen he met a potter named Frank Ross, who taught Strickland how to shape and mold clay and, in the process, compelled him to reshape and redirect his own life. Strickland finished high school, graduated with honors from the University of Pittsburgh and went on to form the after-school program Manchester Craftmen’s Guild, offering students instruction in drawing, painting and sculpting. But he was determined to do a lot more, taking over Bidwell Training Center and combining it with the Craftmen’s Guild to form Manchester Bidwell Corporation, which now serves about 3,900 children with workshops that include ceramics, photography, digital imaging and design art. Manchester Bidwell also offers associate degrees and diploma programs in a variety of areas. Today Manchester Bidwell Corporation is viewed as a national model for education, culture and hope. Strickland has lectured at Harvard and wrote the book, “Make the Impossible Possible.” With the help of Wynton Marsalis and Dizzie Gillespie, he formed the Grammy-winning MCG Jazz, which includes a recording label and popular concert hall in Pittsburgh.

Mr. Strickland’s message resonated with our mission to provide access to students who are underrepresented in higher education. Once they are enrolled, we support these students with instructional programs and services that help them become successful and engaged learners.”

MacArthur “genius” award winner Bill Strickland greeted fans and autographed his book “Make the Impossible Possible” while visiting Salt Lake Community College’s South City Campus as part of a two-day grand opening for the new Center for Arts and Media.

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Park City native McRae Williams won his first ever X Games gold medal last year in France by flipping and spinning his way, mostly backwards, down the hill, while grinding rails and boxes on skis much like a skateboarder. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Slopestyleâ&#x20AC;? competition was added to the skiing and snowboarding events for the first time in the 2014 Winter Olympics.

STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS

McRae Interview

Williams took time out of his busy training schedule to speak with SLCC about his studies and future. SLCC: Did you grow up in Park City? If so, how was your life as a child? MW: I did grow up in Park City, and let’s just say I feel very fortunate to have done so. Having the mountains as my backyard allowed me to live a very active lifestyle as a kid. For high school I attended the Winter Sports School at the Utah Olympic Park, a private school for winter sports athletes that allows students to have the winter off as opposed to the summer, which enabled us to focus on our dreams. SLCC: How did you get into skiing? MW: Growing up in a resort town, it is inevitable that you get into either skiing or snowboarding, and my parents were both avid skiers so they had me on the bunny hill with a leash at age 3.

SLCC: What were you studying? MW: Well, I have only completed a few semesters thus far, so I was taking a range of classes that fulfilled my general education requirements such as English and personal finance. SLCC: What is your dream job/career other than skiing? MW: In the midst of all my traveling and skiing it has been difficult for me to discover what it is I would like to do as a long-term career. I have always thought that a degree in business would be good because I could find something in the ski industry, which I already know so well from working with companies through sponsorship and whatnot. Also, after an injury I had a few years back I began thinking that a career in physical therapy would be fitting being an athlete who has dealt with many injuries firsthand. SLCC: What can you tell students who are trying to go to school and live out their dreams? MW: Never give up! I know it sounds cliché, but life is full of ups and downs, and even at times when it’s hard to see the light you need to remember that it will swing back, and hard work pays off. Mentality is everything, so, stay positive and push on even when it seems the world is against you.

Photo by Jay Burke/Flying Ace Productions, Inc.

SLCC: Why did you pick SLCC for college? MW: Well, to be honest, it is a much more affordable option for students who have to support themselves financially like I do now. I figured it best that I keep up with my education while trying to live out my dream as a professional skier, and SLCC is the only school that allowed me to do so.

SLCC: How has life changed since winning the X Games? MW: I would be a liar if I didn’t say it has been a dramatic change as far as publicity goes. It has opened up a world of opportunity and given me more confidence and determination than I ever had before, but to be honest I am still the same old skier I ever was. Just shredding because I love it and striving to be the best I can be. It’s human nature!

W W W. S L C C . E D U Photo by Alexandra Pallas Loren

STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS

“Going back to school has helped me develop a full arsenal of things I can do.”

s a football player for South Dade Senior High in Miami, Sione Ferrer showed true grit at offensive guard, tackle and defensive tackle. The only loss he recalls now, at age 35, was one to a school he calls the “football factory,” St. Thomas Aquinas, whose most notable graduate is NFL star Michael Irvin. “We were very successful,” Ferrer said about his team senior year. But personal success would soon run out for a young man whose goals were once summed up, “I was just happy to be around.”

He landed at College of the Sequoias in Visalia, California, Ferrer said, “Because they had an opening for me on their football team. And I wanted to get out of South Florida.” Ferrer’s biological father is Tongan and his mother is from El Salvador. They split up when he was about two. She took the children to Miami, where she and Ferrer’s stepfather raised five brothers. Ferrer was ready to move on, albeit a little naive. “It wasn’t the California I thought it would be,” he said about his experience in Visalia. “It was farmland and big trees. Tons of cowboys. Tons. Real cowboys.” He played football for a year-and-ahalf as his grades suffered. Without a scholarship, money ran out. And he fell out of love with football. But he didn’t want to move back to Florida. During Christmas break he moved in with cousins in Utah, met some sisters he

SLCC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2014

had never seen and was reunited with his father. Ferrer and his wife, Moana have been married almost 10 years. Ferrer tried working at a soap factory in the Salt Lake valley, making what he said was a decent wage at $17 per hour. “But the entire time I’d just sit in one spot, twisting bottle caps or making sure stuff is pouring right or wiping bottles – for 12 hours,” he said. “I can’t do that for 12 hours. I lasted there maybe six months.”

He worked the front desk for a hotel in downtown Salt Lake City and then found a job working in human resources for a national Big Box chain. “I was good at it,” he said. And then came the car accident. Moana was T-boned by teens drag racing as she left one of her two jobs one evening. She had a broken back, hurt shoulder and other injuries. I didn’t want to be the guy who goes to work, hates his job and only lives for his next drink. I didn’t want to be that. I see my life as more purposeful now.”

Ferrer had to drive his wife to and from physical therapy appointments. “It’s a good morning if my hands aren’t both numb,” Moana said about how she’s doing now. Ferrer left his job under good terms, summoning that

true grit to get himself and his wife through tough times. He tried to find jobs in graphic design, but his amateur knowledge of Adobe Photoshop was not getting him very far. “I didn’t have that complete tool set,” he said. “They all want that paperwork you need.” Through a Utah Department of Workforce Services web link, he soon discovered he could return to school for free. “I was like, ‘That’s the ticket,’” Ferrer said. “I can do something.” After a few dead ends trying to figure out how to enroll in school for free, he met Salt Lake Community College’s Tom Risk and Lisa Graham, whom he credits for helping him navigate the application process.

Ferrer interviewed with Risk, who looked at his designs and decided he deserved a chance. “And that changed my life completely, right when he said, ‘Yes,’” Ferrer said about Risk’s decision. “Completely different life path.” By that time Ferrer had taken on legal guardianship of his teenage brother after their mother had a stroke and their stepfather was unable to take on the responsibility. That family development helped qualify Ferrer for a federal Pell grant, which has covered living expenses since he enrolled in SLCC in January 2012. A CommunityBased Job Training (CBJT) grant has paid for his school costs while at SLCC. “Going back to school has helped me develop a full arsenal of things I can do,” Ferrer said. Adjunct Professor Ed

Brinton showed Ferrer how to price his services and approach people for business. Visual Art and Design Assistant Professor Andrew Wilson helped him “crack the code” of Web design. And he finally took a class in Photoshop. “There were some things I learned in that Photoshop class that elevated my game a lot.” he said. “It made me more efficient. My designs are a lot sharper now. It just made me exponentially better.” Moana has seen a huge change in her husband since he went back to school. “It’s just like a switch has been flipped,” she said. “It’s just a phenomenal transformation.” Ferrer said his thought processes before college were a series of peaks and valleys, which have since been filled in by the knowledge and skills he’s gained. Industry professionals have taken note of his designs. And now Ferrer wants to own his own design firm. “My skill set of being nice and people liking me, and my skill set of being really good at what I do and confident in what I do – it’s like magic juice there,” he said. “You’ve got to bottle that. That’s how it works.”

Ferrer describes his experience at the College as an “insane blessing,” which he said would not have been possible without the CBJT grant. “It was kind of like a lifeline for me,” he said about the grant. “Because if I didn’t have that, I’d probably be stuck at another call center or another really horrible job that I hate every day.” Now he tells everyone to go back to school. He has dreams of owning a house someday – not a big one, just one with air conditioning and two or three bedrooms. He’s earned mostly As and Bs with a few “struggles,” like web design. Now he’s determined to reenter the workforce, to provide a better future for his family. “I didn’t want to be the guy who goes to work, hates his job and only lives for his next drink,” Ferrer said. “I didn’t want to be that. I see my life as more purposeful now.”

I’ve got a wife, kids and a passport. Life is good. I don’t have the man pressuring me.”

‘Total 180’ Jimmie Breedlove can still picture the scene in his mind. He was only five when his late alcoholic father drove his blue and white pickup down that dirt and gravel Wisconsin road, away from the farmhouse and away from his family. It was the beginning of a long slide for Jimmie, including a brief stay at an orphanage, doing drugs as a teen and a nearly two-year prison term in his early 20s. A self-described scrawny kid, Breedlove can’t remember exactly how many times he was beaten up as a child, only that he used to hide in the bathroom during school recesses until a playground monitor showed up. And now? “Total 180,” Breedlove, 38, said about the degrees of change in his life. “I’ve got a wife, kids and a passport.

Life is good. I don’t have the man pressuring me.” For a while he was working for a company that applies signs and graphics to automobiles. Then he decided he wanted to be the one who came up with content for the designs. These days the only pressure he feels is what he puts on himself while attending Salt Lake Community College’s new Center for Arts and Media, at first studying graphic design and then moving into photography. Now he works for the SLCC campus newspaper The Globe as a photographer while working toward his Associate of Applied Science with an emphasis on photography. Although he’d trade some of the wrong turns he took in life, he doesn’t shy away from talking about his past with just a hint of pride for having survived. Breedlove concluded, “If it helps the next person out.”

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NEW COURSES & EVENTS

Buddhism, Asian Religions Studied at SLCC

ijitha Bandara lived almost 20 years as a Buddhist monk before moving on to earn a doctorate in religious studies from the University of Virginia. For the 2014 spring semester Bandara began teaching two new classes for which he draws upon his experience and education. “Find out why 3 billion people can’t be wrong (and possibly Wijitha Bandara, PhD find enlightenment in the process),” is how the College advertised Bandara’s Asian Religions course, in which students study Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, Confucianism and Daoism. The class looks at the history,

philosophy, beliefs, practices and cultures of Asian religious and philosophical traditions. In his Intro To Buddhism class, Bandara proposes that by the end of the course students will be able to check off important items on their to-do lists, like pay tuition, learn the “Four Noble Truths,” master the “Triple Jewel,” land an internship, follow the “Eightfold Path,” graduate early and even achieve nirvana. “Student response to my classes has been very positive,” Bandara said. “The diversity here in Salt Lake City makes SLCC such a welcoming place. Students know a little bit about every religion, including Buddhism, and are excited to have an opportunity to study them

in depth. It is my goal for all students to develop a sincere willingness to engage in civil conversation with others, regardless of their differences in beliefs.” As part of our initiative to develop a full religious studies program, we have begun and will continue moving forward to offer courses in Asian religion and philosophy, including Introduction to Buddhism and Asian Religions, and eventually (possibly in early 2015) additional courses on Hinduism and Daoism. We expect to appoint someone to a full-time, tenure-track position in Asian Philosophy & Religion beginning in fall 2014. We took the opportunity provided by Dr. Bandara’s availability and expertise to appoint him full time for at least one semester to teach offerings in Asian religious traditions and to help develop our Asian religious studies program. He has been a delightful, energetic and welcome professional addition to our philosophy and religious studies faculty. - Paul C. Allen, PhD

Build Your Own Electric Guitar It all starts with a block of wood and a box of electronics.

y the end of ENGR 1600, otherwise known as Engineering the Guitar class, students will have built their very own electric guitar. It’s a newer class that grew in popularity with the spring 2014 semester. Students use shop equipment, learn woodcrafting skills and engineering design concepts, along with being introduced to the science behind the guitar as they learn about vibrations, acoustics, the functioning of the human ear

and music theory.

emphasize a hands-on experience.

SLCC Engineering Department Coordinator Dr. Holly Moore said the idea for the class came from a few places. In rural South Dakota where she grew up, kids learned how to make and fix things – that came to mind a few years back when she attended a conference where she heard that Sinclair Community College in Ohio was offering a similar class.

The guitar class is also billed as a “great way” to meet students’ interdisciplinary general education requirement – not to mention that you can rock out at the end of the semester!

“Today children are lucky if they know how to use a hammer,” Moore said. “They’re good at computer skills.” She adapted the class from Sinclair’s example and brought it to the College in the fall of 2013 with one section. Now there are three sections, and Moore said she’s trying to incorporate more courses in the curriculum that

“This is fun,” Moore added. “And we think they learn a lot from it.”

Writing Assistant Wins Chapbook Contest

eaton Charles Butler won Salt Lake Community College’s 4th Annual Chapbook Competition with his fictional manuscript, “My Life as a Human.” Contest judge and Utah Valley University English professor Dr. Karin Anderson called Butler’s manuscript “one of the most striking reading experiences of my career.” This spring, the SLCC Publication Studies class will publish

250 copies of his winning manuscript, which will also be publicly showcased with a book launch and reading. Butler is a writing assistant with the College’s Community Writing Center and is pursuing a degree in education. He describes himself as a poet, writer and an “accomplished” drummer. Some of his literary works are available for purchase at http://abcbluepoet. blogspot.com. For his online bio on the College’s website, Butler wrote that his motto is, “Write, write, write, write and then eat a little bit, then write, write, write, then afternoon teatime, then more writing.”

Martin Luther King Jr. Honored at College

ward-winning author Sharon Ewell Foster and educator and musician Dr. Dennis Slaughter headlined Salt Lake Community College’s 2014 Martin Luther King Jr. commemorative events in January. Foster and Slaughter took part in a panel discussion on January 29 in the Oak Room of the Student Center on the College’s Taylorsville Redwood Campus. Foster also visited students in classes on January 28 and 30. Slaughter joined the George Brown Jazz Ensemble and several vocalists for the

borrowing from King’s famous 1967 “A Time To Break Silence” speech at New York City’s Riverside Church, “We’re delighted to have Ms. Foster and Dr. Slaughter come here and participate with us as we honor the life of Dr. King and his vision, which was a society free from racism, militarism and poverty.” Foster was awarded the NAACP Book of the Year and the Black Writers Alliance Golden Pen. She also won the 2012 Michael Shaara Prize for excellence in Civil War fiction for her novel, “The Resurrection of Nat Turner.” Slaughter is currently an organizational specialist with the National Education Association and the artistic director for the Boston Community Choir.

‘Books’ Devoured During Festival

lot of delicious literature was consumed – literally – during Salt Lake Community College’s first annual Edible Books Festival. The spring festival, put on by SLCC’s Culinary Arts Institute, dovetailed with the annual International Edible Book Festival and was part of events held at the at the SLCC Taylorsville Redwood Campus during National Library Week. The contest was open to students, staff, faculty and administrators. Among the 20 delectable entries were creations with names like “If You Give A Mouse A Cookie,” “Angels and Demons” and “The Very Hungry Caterpillar.” Prizes of $50 gift cards were given for categories that included Most Literary and Most Humorous.

During a ceremony at the Taylorsville Redwood Campus, SLCC’s Martin Left to right: Joy Tlou, Josh Gold, Deneece Huftalin and Charlene Lui. Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Awards were given to Joy Tlou, “Remembering MLK Through Story public relations director, Institutional & Song” concert in the multipurpose Marketing & Communications; Josh room at South City Campus in Salt Lake Gold, associate professor, Political City. Science; and Charlene Lui, adjunct Panel moderator Dr. John McCormick, instructor, School of Professional & dean of the SLCC School of Humanities Economic Development. and Social Sciences, said while

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CAM

State-of-the-Industry Defines New Center for Arts and Media

t took two days in November to roll out the red carpet for something as special as Salt Lake Community College’s new $45 million Center for Arts and Media. “I believe it can change the landscape of how we in higher education nurture our students toward either transferrable degrees with our sister Utah System of Higher Education institutions or the vibrant industry within the digital

MacArthur “genius” award recipient Bill Strickland helped kick off events November 7, with a keynote address in South City Campus’ Grand Theatre. Former SLCC President Dr. Cynthia Bioteau hosted about 200 people at a colorful and diverse art show the first day, handing out two $1,000 awards and two more for $500 each. Artist Benjamin Higbee won the $1,000 President’s Award with his entry “Particle Swarm.” SLCC opened the 130,000-squarefoot center’s doors to the public the next day for a 5-hour open house. Visitors received their first glimpse of the stunning new 2,000-square-foot television studio and control room, located next door to a 3,000-squarefoot film stage.

disciplines,” said SLCC School of Arts, Communication and Media Interim Dean Richard Scott. “A facility like this will enable us to provide world class, industry-standard experiences for the state’s digital student.”

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More than 300 high school students from around the valley also participated in workshops inside a few of the 22 editing bays, in the animation lab and one of three MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) classrooms and in the state-of-the-industry digital audio recording studio, which has a 64-channel Solid State Logic mixing board. Friday’s open house ended with two screenings of the documentary

“Out of Nowhere.” The film shows a SLCC alumnus going back to his homeland Kenya to meet his brother for the first time and to be reunited with his mother after 20 years apart. Panel discussions with refugees from Africa and Iraq and then with the documentary filmmakers bookended the first of two screenings. Prior to and during the grand opening the new facility received extensive TV and print media coverage, including several spots as part of Fox 13 Big Budah’s morning show on Friday. SLCC Public Relations Director Joy Tlou gave numerous media tours in the days leading up to the opening and afterward.

“I believe it can change the landscape of how we in higher education nurture our students toward either transferrable degrees with our sister USHE institutions or the vibrant industry within the digital disciplines.” “The media attention has been phenomenal,” Tlou said. “One thing we didn’t anticipate is finding out that this facility is the envy of people in the professional media industry.” The opening was the culmination of a long project that began with breaking ground in 2010, then demolishing an old pool, diving pool and gymnasium. The new center is physically connected to Salt Lake City School District’s Innovations High School and will serve an estimated 9,000 students while bringing together 17 programs under one roof for SLCC’s School of Arts, Communication and Media. The high school, new center and the rest of South City Campus, which was built in 1931, now flow seamlessly into one another.

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The Center for Arts and Media last November was alive with music and activities throughout, including inside the music and television studios, where Fox 13 features reporter Big Budha visited for the Good Day Utah morning show.

ART SHOW

president’s

Four ‘winners’ in President’s Art Show

Four Winners in President’s Art Show

alt Lake Community College held a juried exhibition last November at its South City Campus in the new Center for Arts and Media, featuring a wide range of professional and amateur artists. The awards went to: President’s Award ($1,000), Benjamin Higbee for “Particle Swarm”; Best In Show ($1,000), Ryan Kowalchik for “Patriarchy Intersecting With Ecosystem”; 2nd Place ($500), Brendan Clary for “Rachelle”; and 3rd Place ($500), Matt Monson for “Mt. Moon/Sun.” The College will hold another art show this fall.

2013 ART SHOW WINNERS:

President’s Award $1,000 Benjamin Higbee “Particle Swarm”

Best In Show $1,000 Ryan Kowalchik “Patriarchy Intersecting with Ecosystem”

2nd Place $500 Brendan Clary “Rachelle”

3rd Place $500 Matt Monson “Mt.Moon/Sun”

F OR I N F OR M AT ION ON T H E N E X T P R E SI DE N T ’ S A RT SH OW V I SI T www.slcc.edu/artshow W W W. S L C C . E D U

STATE COLLEGE OF THE

60,082 2012-2013 Student Headcount

2013/2014

45,763

Credit-seeking students

14,319

Non-credit-seeking students

AGE RANGE

STUDENT-TO-FACULTY RATIO

69 17

20:1

Age of oldest graduate Age of youngest graduate

FALL HEAD COUNT 2004-2013 FALL HEAD COUNT 2004-2013

35,000

Top Producers of Associate Degrees in the United States (2-year Colleges)

30,000 27,723

25,000 23,777

24,740

24,567 23,822

23,824

28,443

27,041

26,161

24,467

20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000

03-04

04-05

05-06

06-07

07-08

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08-09

09-10

10-11

11-12

12-13

Year

# Associate Degrees Awarded by SLCC

National Ranking

2013

3485

7th

2012

3413

3rd

2011

3384

4th

2010

3001

3rd

Source: Community College Week

Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) plays an integral and crucial role in advancing the Governorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s goal of 66% of Utahns

28,260

In FY 2012-13 SLCC had CTE students (13,941 Career and Technical Education credit students).

with a post-secondary credential by 2020. SLCC is a comprehensive community college and fulfills a unique role in the Salt Lake valley. The College provides students access to the first two years of the college experience, which not only prepares them for future educational opportunities, but also prepares them for the workforce.

74%

Nearly of SLCC graduates transfer credits to a four-year institution.

A critical component of SLCCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission is to serve as the applied technology college for Salt Lake County and offer non-credit options for career and technical training that leads directly to the workforce. The College is recognized statewide and nationally for business partnerships and industry responsiveness as demonstrated by the recent partnerships with Goldman Sachs and the 10,000 Small Businesses program and the L-3 University of Manufacturing.

In FY 2011-12 SLCC partnered with

163 Companies to provide 28,225 hours of training for employees throughout the state.

FY 2012-2013 BUDGET Operating Revenue Auxiliary Enterprises $12,935,888 6.2%

Operating Revenue Contracts & Grants $10,922,934 5.2% Operating Revenue Educational Activities Sales & Other $4,231,009 2.0%

Operating Revenue Net Tuition & Fees $65,197,297 31.3%

REVENUES FOR YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2013 Nonoperating Revenue Investment Income & Other $950,138 0.5%

Nonoperating Gifts & Capital Gifts $2,463,061 1.2%

$208,572,628

Financial Aid $25,601,729 12.5 %

Auxiliary Enterprises $14,187,494 6.9% Depreciation $9,778.287 4.8 %

Operation of Plant $16,141,614 7.9 % Nonoperating Revenue State Appropriations $69,417,368 33.3%

Nonoperating Revenue Contracts & Grants $42,454,933 20.3%

Institutional Support $24,791,817 12.1 %

Student Services $20,040,323 9.8% Academic Support $8,873,616 4.3 %

OPERATING EXPENSES BY FUNCTION FOR YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2013 $205,150,794

Instruction $83,984,521 40.9%

Public Service $1,751,393 0.8%

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N E W AT S L C C

New ‘Green’ Building Serves Students, Administrators When Salt Lake Community College leaders decided to replace their aging and seismically outdated administration building, they remembered the most important tenant: students. Not only does the Instruction and Administration Building house the offices of the president and provost and other executive departments,

SLCC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2014

it also boasts 40 new classrooms, specialized labs and study areas. That includes the Student Writing Center, which offers free writing advice either in person or online, and a publishing center, which includes a book-binder, paper-cutter and iMac computers with high-end software. The showcase space is the John Fritz Cultural Commons — an open, airy

gathering place for students, faculty, staff and administrators. It was named for the late-department chairman of history and anthropology who wanted students from different backgrounds to have a place to come together and share ideas. The building is also green: It was rated silver under LEED, or Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design.

Rated LEED Silver (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design).

This image collage of the new Instruction and Administration Building shows the foundation, a Native American ceremony, a cultural display, areas where students wait for class and other interior design and architectural features.

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TAY L O R S V I L L E R E D W O O D C A M P U S

Growing

Greener

After Demolition Project

Artist rendition of the Taylorsville Redwood Campus after the demolition of the Nelson Administration Building set for Spring 2014.

Aerial photograph of the Redwood Campus of Utah Technical College at Salt Lake (Salt Lake Community College) as it appeared in 1970.

Nearly completed Nelson Administration Building, circa 1966.

n 1966, nearly 20 years after the founding of Salt Lake Community College, workers on the Taylorsville Redwood Campus built the 105,000-square-foot Administration Building. Staff and faculty moved into the building in March 1967. Eventually the facility was named after late SLCC President Jay L. Nelson, who served in that position from 1949 to 1978. The building stayed in use for almost 50 years, until the opening of the new 136,000-square-foot Instruction and Administration Building (IAB) in time for the Fall 2013 semester. The IAB now also serves students with 40 classrooms, and its environmentally friendly features earned it a LEED Silver certification (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design). Demolition of the old Nelson Administration Building is set for Spring 2014, and in its place will be a picturesque green space that will add a new look and feel to the campus. The College plans to name the green space after Nelson and hold a formal dedication ceremony in his honor.